Improvement in reversible seats for railway-cars



T. 1. CLOSE.

Car Seat.

Patented May 3, 1870.

X. No. 102,498.

'rnonas J- oLosE, or" PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 102,498, dated May 3, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERSIBLE SEATS FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pm of 11 ame.

- seats for railroad-cars in which the seat proper and the back thereof are combined, and move together'in such a manner that the seat. becomes the backand the back the seat, in accordance with whichever direction the same may be reversed on its support; and

My invention consists in the combination of certain curved end pieces of the seat and back, which have acorrcspomlingly-curved groove in the. inner side of each, and a recess or notch in the middle of the length of the upper boundary of the said groove, with a li'iction-roller on the outer side of each end of two branches of the stationary standard or support under each end of the said reversible seat and back, the objects of my invention being to afford facility in reversing, and stability afterward; to conceal the grooves and diction-rollers, and prevent them from catching in the apparel of persons in passing; 'and to afford more space between any two seats when reversed to face each other, and thus admitting a larger number of the said seats to be placed in the same length of car, without diminishing the usual space for knee'room when the seats are arranged to face in the same direction.

Description of .the Accompanying Draua'ngs.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reversible seat embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section, showing the inner side of same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the draw-bolt and put, as applied to one of the end pieces and rails.

General Description.

The curved groove a, a, on the inner side of the end pieces A A, is of the same width and depth throughout its lengtluand reaches from one end to the other along the lower edge of the respective end plates. 1

The recess 2 is made in the upper boundary of the groove, and exactly in the middle of its length, (see fig. 2.) g

Along near the upper edge of each of the end pieces there is a narrow groove, 3, for the reception of the ends of the wooden slats B B, -which are inserted therein at suitable distances apart, and the ends and slats secure-d firmly together by means of a draw-bolt, 4, and nut 5, (see fi 3,) in each end of the middle and of the two side slats."

lhe upper part' of each of the two standards O G has two branches e e,.and at the out-er side of the ends of each branch at li-ict-ion-roller, 6, is attached, i

the outer endot' which projects into the groove (0' of the end piece, (see ti"; 1,)and rotates in the groove as the said end piece is moved in reversing the seat and back.

It will'be understood, without further description, that the seat and back can be readily reversed, (see, tig. 2,) as occasion may require; that it will remain firmly in either of the reversed positions, and form a pleasant seat; that the space it occupies will be substantially the same in both posit-ions; that the grooves and friction-rollers are concealed and out of the way of persons passing; and that, by extending the branches 0 c, more space will b: afforded between two facing seats.

0 lwiin In a seat provided with a combined reversible seat and back, the curved end frames A A thereof, with their respective inside grooves-a (1, having the recess Witnesses:

BnnJ. MORISON, WM. H. Momsom- 

